Grip for cable railways



(No Model.)

E. D. DOUGHERTY.

GRIP FOR. CABLE RAILWAYS.

a ent d 00t.19,1886.

UNITED STATES Erica.

PATENT GRIP FOR CABLE RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 351,254, dated October19, 1886.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD DYER Docen- ERTY, of Philadelphia, in thecounty of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Grips for Cable Railways; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in grips for cable railways, andmore particularly to the grip shown and described in my pendingapplication filed May 17, 1886, and numbered 202,437.

The object is to provide an improved construction of parts forpermitting the rollers to gradually recede until the cable is gripped bya pair of metallic-faced j aws; and withthis end in view my inventionconsists in the parts and combinations of parts, as will be more fullydescribed, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a View of the lower section ofa grip,partly in section and partly in elevation. Fig. 2 is a side viewof the same; and Fig. 3 is a view in section, showing the manner ofconnecting the levers to the Spring.

A represents a depending support or hanger, to' which the grip mechanismis attached.

To one side of the hangerA is secured a flat plate, B, bent outwardly,downwardly,and in wardly at the lower edge, forming in crosssectionthree sides of a rectangular loop, as shown at b, b, and b. At or nearthe opposite ends of the loop portion of the plate B are formedelongated slots b in which the boxes 0, carryingthe rollers O, slide ormove. These rollers O are provided with reduced ends or trunnions, orwith bolts passing through the rollers, which fit snugly in the boxes 0,and when the rollers are in their normal positions the boxes restagainst the inner boundaries of the slots. In the outer face of theportion 1) of the plate B, and preferably at or near the center thereof,is formed a socket, D, for the reception of a spiral spring, D, whichlatter, through the medium of the levers E and pins E, hold the boxes 0in contact with the inner walls of the elongated slots. The levers E,four in number, are pivoted, respectively, to the lugs e, integral withor attached to the rear face of the plate B,with their longer armsresting on the washer f, secured on the spring D, and their shorter armsin contact with the outer ends of the pins E, which latter pass throughopenings in the section Z) of the plate and bear against the boxes 0,carrying the rollers O. \Vit-hin the socket D, behind the spring D, isthe disk or nut D which latter is prevented from turning, and isprovided centrally with a screwthreaded opening for the passage of theadj usting-screw F, theinner end of which bears against the base of thesocket. Located within the coils of the spring D, and resting on thedisk D", is the tube 9, the upper end of which is above the levers. Byturning the screw F the disk is moved up or down and the springcompressed or relaxed, and the tension on the rollers increased ordiminished.

h is a nut for locking the parts in position after the spring has beenadjusted.

Between the rollers C, and secured to the plate 13, is a bearing plateor block of soft metal, 16*, conveniently held in position by screwspassing through the portion Z) of the plate 13, as shown in my pendingapplication, N 0. 202,437. The faces of the rollers 0 project slightlybeyond the face of the block or plate E and the plate B, and the plateB,with i's attachments, as described, and the strengthening rib or web0, form what may be properly termed the stationary jaw of the grip.

To the opposite side of the hanger A is secured a plate, F, provided ator near its lower edge with a pair of perforated lugs, to which arehinged the upwardlyextending arms 9 of the swinging jaw G. Thelowerportion of the jaw G is shaped quite similarly to the parts 6, I), and bof the jaw B, and has in its ends a pair of upright rollers securedthereto in the same manner as and opposite to the rollers O. This jaw Gis also provided with a soft-metal gripping-plate, I, similar to theones shown and described in the application above referred to, andlocated opposite the plate E in the jaw 13. At the lower end of thejawG,oneat each corner, are secured horizontalslightly-tapered rollersK,which occupy positions transversely to the line of the cable, and areadapted to support it between the gripping-faces of the jaws, and torelease and pick it up as the jaw is swung outwardly and inwardly on itshinges.

A laterally and downwardly extending hifurcated arm, I, is secured tothe upper portion of the plate F, and in the ends of its branches issecured the bolt M, on which the eccentric or cam wheel N is mounted.The wheel N is adapted as it rotates on its support to allow the jaw Gto swing outwardly or to force the same inwardly, according as itsbulging side is swung away from or toward the back of the jaw. Thepitnian and lever for operating the wheel are not shown, but isconveniently connected with the wheel at the point n, and may be of anywell-known or approved construction. The jaw G is caused to have atendency to swing away from the jaw B by a counter-weight,0, secured tothe upper end of one of the arms 9, so that its depression will tend toswing the jaw outwardly.

As the cable is grasped between the jaws,

. the upright rollers first come in contact with it and form a partialhold, perhaps giving the car its first impulse, and in any eventpreventing the cable from chafing against the softmetal plates as itapproaches its surface, and when the jaws are firmly brought togetherthe said rollers readily yield and allow the metal plates to grasp thecable firmly.

I make no claim in this application to the manner of locking the jawstogether, nor to the counter-balance for opening the movable o jaw, asthese parts are shown, described, and

claimed in my application above referred to. Having fully describedmyinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is-

specification in the 1'. In a grip for cable railways, the combinaingssecured insaid jaw, a single spring for exerting a yielding pressureagainst the opposite ends of the movable bearing or bearings, and ascrew for increasingor diminishing the tension of the spring,substantially'as set forth.

3. In a grip for cable railways, the combinati011,with a jaw, of twomovable bearings secured to said jaw, a single spring for exerting ayielding pressure against the opposite ends of said bearings, and astationary bearing located between the movable bearings, substantiallyasset forth.

'4. In a grip for cable railways, the combination, with a jaw and twomovable or sliding rollers journaled therein, of the levers exerting apressure against the ends of the rollers, and a spring bearing againstthe levers, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed this presence of two subscribingwitnesses.

EDWARD DYER DOUGHERTY.

Witnesses:

WM. K. SHRYocK,

S. W. Roor.

